The Dodger Episode: Felicity Smoak gets a reality check
by Phillipe363
Summary: Something that has always bugged me about a particular episode in season 1 and I wanted to fix it. I can't tell you anymore because then I would ruin the story. Enjoy.


**Hey guys, what's this another one shot? Yep.**

 **As usual I don't own Arrow and DC comics because if did well you'll see below.**

 **Enjoy.**

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It is late at night in the Foundry.

Oliver is working on the training dummy with an Escrima stick while Diggle looks on. Felicity sitting at the computers, runs searches for Walter and sneaks glances at Oliver.

"You might want to take it easy if you plan on taking someone off that list tonight" Dig noted.

Snapping the bamboo stick in half on one of the dummy's arms "This is me taking it easy" Oliver growls.

"So who's our lucky guy tonight?" Dig asked.

"Ken Williams. His pyramid scheme stole millions. People didn't just lose their homes. Their lives are ruined" Oliver replied, grabbing his jacket and quiver from a table slipping them on then his bow as well.

Felicity pulls up more information on Williams, and then looks back to where Oliver is walking towards the door. Making a decision, she taps the key board locking the doors to block the code.

At the door Oliver punches in his code, and tries to open the door then tries a few more times before realizing what's happened.

"Felicity!" Oliver yells, stalking back into the main area "Did you just-"

"Computer override your lock." Felicity finished "Maybe a little."

"What are you doing?" Oliver asked.

"I pulled up some information on Mr. Williams. Did you know he's a widowed father of a 10-year-old boy?" Felicity replied quickly "I told you. I'm only in this to help Walter. Not to be an accessory to orphaning little kids!"

"I'm just giving him a warning" Oliver argues.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you could do some real good in the city?" Felicity replied "Beyond just recovering people's stock portfolios and their saving accounts."

Leaning in close Oliver types a few keys then hears a satisfying click as the doors unlock "You're not the only one who knows how to reboot my system."

"I made a mistake from signing on with you" Felicity said, going to move past.

Oliver grabs her arm causing her to jerk it away but is unable to due to his vice like grip.

"Let me go" Felicity almost yells.

"No, you're going to listen or I can lock the doors. The question of how much time gets wasted is up to you" Oliver said, his voice colder.

Felicity just nods, as Oliver lets go of her arm.

Taking a moment then "I am killer and torturer, it's what I became on Lian Yu and in Hong Kong under A.R.G.U.S. The people I go up against are murders, drug dealers, human traffickers and destroy innocent people's lives just because they can. Do you get what I'm saying?" Oliver asked, pain but conviction in his voice.

"I think I might" Felicity said, to stunned to say much else.

"I did my research and I know about Cooper, I know how you've lived in denial ever since. It ends tonight because either your willing to work in the shadows of the world or you don't and leave. There is not a third option" Oliver said, his voice becoming harsh.

"I… need time" Felicity, trying to stop the tears from falling as she sinks into the chair, overwhelmed.

Giving a nod "Fair enough" Oliver said before turning to go.

At hearing the door slam shut Felicity removes her glasses as she breaks down in tears. Everything she thought of Oliver being some modern day Robin Hood and a fantasy including the possible crush she had just ended. Because that's not who Oliver really is and the real Oliver is the one she can never fall in love with.

Eventfully finding her voice "What do you think… I should do Dig?" Felicity asked, glancing up at him.

"I can't really say Felicity. The only thing I can say is he's right, we are at war with the darkest side of Starling City. Honestly… well it's your choice to make because no one else can" Diggle said, before walking off.

Felicity turning to the computers begins looking at one of the screens. Clicking one of the articles and the headline of a tiny article, a sickening feeling fills her gut.

The headline reads: One more f _amily becomes homeless._

As she reads the article it was about a father and three young children with the oldest being 9 years of age became homeless after their father lost his job due to Ken Williams's insurance pyramid plan to fully cover a person's home and school education failed.

Felicity almost scoffs because it didn't fail for Ken Williams but worked destroying over twenty-two families of making them homeless and in some cases take their own lives. She hopes Oliver puts a few arrows in the guy to persuade him but Felicity stops while coming to a horrifying realization.

She just weighted Ken Williams children never having their father again due to his crimes below all the families. What gave her that right? Absolutely nothing except in order to hopefully get justice for the innocent people who Ken Williams hurt collateral damage for both sides has to happen.

Felicity knows that this is must be a part of what Oliver has to carry every time he lets an arrow fly and a person takes their breath for the last time, knowing there will be someone who will be crying in loss.

The question that it ultimately comes down to is she willing to sacrifice pieces of her soul by knowing it will be for the greater good of Starling City. Felicity's so wrapped up in her own thoughts she doesn't hear the door close or the footsteps.

"Hey" Oliver said, approaching her.

Felicity turns around to see his him standing there as she gets to her feet.

"You asked me a question earlier" Felicity said.

"Yes I did. Your answer?" Oliver asked.

"I'm in" was Felicity's only reply and any doubt in her mind was gone.

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 **Hope you guys enjoyed that.**

 **Now here's why I wrote and fixed that scene from 1X15. In the show it is very clear that Felicity is unable to handle the darker side of Oliver's world. Period, no any other questions about it and she also developed this great big crush which helped create the mess of late season 2, all of season 3 and season 4 so far. The over focused pandering to Olicty at the coast of the entire show is what I'm referring to.**

 **In the show they never had Felicity actually comes to terms with either accepting the gray world that is Starling City or not and then moving to say Central City. I wanted to fix that right at the very scene it all began in.**

 **For Felicity ending her crush like a mature adult would and never going into her eventually fantasy dream. Ok yes I understand the appeal of the damaged guy falling for the geeky girl but that was back when Felicity was the character in season 1 who I liked and that ended in season 2 when I could tell what was happening. Just FYI, I was reading Arrow fan fictions shortly after the pilot first aired four years ago.**

 **Me going into the in-depth view of how Felicity learns to accept the new world that she is in and what is needed to do in order to survive and deliver justice, I wanted to portray believable.**

 **Also for those wondering if Oliver was to harsh, keep one thing in mind this is a season 1 version and who didn't even consider Felicity a friend at that point. Just an asset like he needed earlier in the show to handle the tech he couldn't. It's rather easily able to be seen since when she did get brought into the team Oliver dropped the playboy act that he used from Lone Gunman until The Odyssey episode.**

 **Which I originally did have Felicity walk out but I decided against it for the one simple reason of this is not the show's version that has been ruined but a version who became someone else. Because I will always wish for a Felicity Smoak we deserved a** **more mature, stronger in character and melodrama free** **but sadly we as viewers never got.**

 **Until next time.**


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